Hi, my name is Figgy
Let’s have fun with
FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE
What does Figgy do for your writing?
Figurative
Language
• Similes
• Metaphors
• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• Figgy helps you look at your
world differently.
• Figgy compares things.
• Figgy appeals to your five
senses.
• Figgy makes your writing
more interesting!
2
Figgy Finds Similes – they use like
or as to compare two things
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors
• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• He stood out like a sore thumb.
• My bike was as clean as a
whistle.
AVOID CLICHÉS – Phrases that have
been used many times before.
Try this using an original simile:
My classroom is as_________________________ as a
_______________________________.
3
Figgy Makes Metaphors – comparisons
that do NOT use like or as
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• Don’t be a couch potato.
• America is a melting pot.
Clichés apply to metaphors, too!
Try this using your own metaphor:
My garden is a _____________________
____________________________________.
4
Figgy Accepts Alliteration – words that
begin with the same letter
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia
• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• Antonyms
• Synonyms
• Little Lucy licked her licorice.
• Busy boys buy better bicycles.
Try this: Make your own sentences using
these letters:
R ________________________________________.
T ________________________________________ .
W ________________________________________.
5
Figgy Hears Onomatopoeia – words
that are sounds
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification
• Hyperbole
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• Antonyms
• Crash! The dishes fell on the
floor.
• The birds chirp early in the
morning.
Try this:
Make a list of ten onomatopoeia words.
Now create sentences for two of them:
1. _______________________________________ .
2. _______________________________________ .
6
Figgy Posts Personification – giving
objects or animals human qualities
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• The sun played peek-a-boo with
the clouds.
• “I can’t find my acorns,” said
the squirrel.
Try this: Create a sentence using
personification for these topics:
1. (Tree) ___________________________________.
2. (Toothbrush) ____________________________ .
7
Figgy Notices Hyperboles - words
that exaggerate their meaning
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms
• Adages
• Proverbs
• I have a million papers in my
desk.
• My dad snores louder than a jet
engine.
Try this: Complete this sentence with a
hyperbole:
Mom drives so fast that ____________
__________________________________________ .
8
Figgy Identifies Idioms – phrases in which
the meaning is different from its individual parts
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages
• Proverbs
• a heart of gold (to be generous)
• fly a kite (to be left alone.)
Try this: Explain what each idiom really
means:
1. bring home the bacon (____________
______________________________________)
2. in a pickle (________________________)
9
Figgy Adds Adages – observations about
life (Psst: You’ll find clichés here!)
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages 
• Proverbs
• A penny saved is a penny
earned.
• A woman’s work is never done!
Try this: Complete these well-known adages:
1.
Two’s company, but _____________ a crowd.
2. Nothing hurts like the __________________.
10
Figgy Explores Proverbs – These are
very similar to adages, but contain life lessons.
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages 
• Proverbs 
• Health is wealth. (If you feel good,
you have all that you need.)
• Practice makes perfect. (You will do
better if you practice.)
Try this: Fill in the blanks:
1. Waste not, ____________ not.
2. Variety is the ______________ of
life.
11
Figgy Fetches Antonyms – words with
opposite meanings
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages 
• Proverbs 
• I love the rain; my sister hates
it.
• Before I can turn the light off,
I must first turn it on.
Try this: Create sentences using these
antonyms:
1.
(Before/after) _______________________.
2. (Inside/outside) ______________________.
12
Figgy Combines Synonyms – Words
with similar meanings
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages 
• Proverbs 
• The old, historic house was
haunted.
• The pretty princess met a
handsome prince.
Try this: Substitute the underlined word for
a synonym:
1.
This test is easy. ______________________ .
2. The bright sun warmed my face.
______________________________________ .13
Figgy Nudges Nuances – slight differences
in meaning (these are very similar to synonyms!)
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages 
• Proverbs 
• Jenny’s dress was pink, but Aileen’s
was mauve.
• We bought a golden retriever, not a
yellow lab.
Try this: Substitute the underlined word
for a nuance.
1. Tom laughed when the teacher did a
dance. __________________________
2. The airplane flew over our house.
___________________
14
Figgy Brings it all Together!
Figurative
Language
• Similes 
• Metaphors 
• Alliteration 
• Onomatopoeia

• Personification

• Hyperbole 
• Idioms 
• Adages 
• Proverbs 
1.
2.
3.
Write a story or an article
about your topic.
Go back and change a few
(not all!) of your sentences
so you use this some fun
figurative language.
Surprise your teacher with
your creativity!
15